Night was unprecedented in its size and scale. At least 12 people are known to have died but that figure is likely to rise. Newsnights David Grossman has spent the day at the scene. The first call to the fire brigade was just before 1am. This the first call to the Fire Brigade Wasjust before 1am. This man the first call to the fire brigade was just before 1am. This man was there and filmed what he and his friends saw. When i got there, One Fire Engine wasjust friends saw. When i got there, One Fire Engine was just arriving and unloading. They grabbed an axe from the back and i could see people. I went to the second floor to the corridors. I helped them out. It was smoky on the second floor. As i was coming out, the fire brigade coming up coming out, the fire brigade coming up through the front entrance. Georgia clarke is a key architect and tv presenter. I could not believe what i saw. The whole thing was on fire. I assume that it started on the other side which i cannot see, the east side. Sheets and sheets of cladding was falling on fire and i was screaming to get out. I have never seen a fire spread that quickly in a building in my life. In my life. The biggest problem was the outside. In 2016, last summer, they reclad the building. They spent a lot of money on it. I dont care what people say, there is no way it should spread that quickly on a refurbished building. It wasjust that quickly on a refurbished building. It was just peeling off like peel a banana. Building. It was just peeling off like peela banana. Like building. It was just peeling off like peel a banana. Like you peel like peel a banana. Like you peel. It was fully on fire. Be put on new clad like a new skin. And there was a gap of air behind that, forming a fantastic chimney for the fire. There was screaming. One woman was holding her baby out of the second floor from the top window. I could see a family of three in there. The fire got worse and worse. They are just not there any more. I dont know what happened over there. My dont know what happened over there. My partner saw someone jump. 0ver that side, i know one of the fire officers. Someone had jumped, and idid not officers. Someone had jumped, and i did not see them jump, but i saw the aftermath. They landed on a fire officer. I saw people hanging out of the windows. There was a on the 14th floor banging something on the outside of the building. One guy caught a kid thrown out of a window from the eighth floor. It was amazing. You really saw that . Yeah. Yeah. Unbelievable. Francis has been looking for his sister, zeinab, since 2am. She called him from inside the towel and he raced over in his car. When i got here, i was like, woah, this is big. You know, i called zeinab and said go out the stairs. She was talking about the smoke and i said dont worry about the smoke, use the stairs. I dont think she did. Umm. It is really painful to imagine. Where is she . Many witnesses told us people were being told to stay put in their flat, not risked leaving the building. Some undoubtedly owe their survival to not listening to this advice. I grabbed my husband and children and ran out the fire exit. We saw people jumping. We saw people using bedsheets to get down. Police we re using bedsheets to get down. Police were telling us not to. Everyone was panicking. Chaotic. Do you see that quy panicking. Chaotic. Do you see that guy there on the right . He just spent eight hours in that building. The look in his eyes, hell. The stories i have heard today from the quys stories i have heard today from the guysin stories i have heard today from the guys in that building. A lot of people have died. And, umm, from what i saw watching them, the entire night, trying to help out, because i could not do anything. Anyone in the building above the 14th floor. Ido the building above the 14th floor. I do think they got out. Do you know what would have helped, a fire alarm it was dead silence when i was in the building. It was hot but there was no fire alarm, no sprinklers. People would have got out if there was an alarm. There are plenty of questions for the council and Tenant Management Organisation that run the block on their behalf, especially because fire safety was raised by residents on many occasions. My understanding is their concerns we re occasions. My understanding is their concerns were looked at and officers in the tmo or the council made enquiries and felt that we were, umm, we had done what was necessary. The government has now ordered a check on the fire safety of all similar block. The official death toll is now 12. Nobody expects it to stay there. The fire brigade say they rescued 65 people from grenfell tower, which is thought to be home to up to 600 residents. Crews have reached, but not searched, every floor of the 2a storey building. Newsnights katie rassall reports. He said he said i am in the building and cannot leave because of the smoke. We are not leaving. That is what he said. The waiting is torture. This mans Mother In Law lives with three children in the building. He spoke to the relatives as the fire was spreading. We phoned, but the phone kept ringing. No one answered the phone. There was no answer. His phone. There was no answer. His phone was ringing. To be stuck in that situation, it has got to be difficult. Just a family in one flat, in one place, is difficult. They will have to make life changing decisions. I am they will have to make life changing decisions. Iam hoping in my they will have to make life changing decisions. I am hoping in my mind, the families kept close and there would be enough air to go around the place. But i dont know. Chris had other relatives in the block to be another brother and sister on the ninth floor. She was on the lower floors. No problems with that. The upperfloors were floors. No problems with that. The upper floors were the problem. Within 20 minutes, the whole estate was engulfed. The whole of it. I have a lot of hope, but i thought, my god, how are they going to get out . Hours and hours of waiting. His wife is inside the centre for worried families. Chris is outside waiting for news of any kind. At least six people have died following a huge Fire Engulfing a tower block in west london. This is not good. Six people. We would be very lucky ifjust six people were dead. We expect it to be worse. And it will be worse. How was the family doing, yourfamily . Be worse. How was the family doing, your family . Well. They are coping. The management of a block so big, they should have fire extinguishes. They should be able to tell us if something has gone wrong, an alarm. Nothing. There was no alert. It wasjust on an alarm. Nothing. There was no alert. It was just on fire. An alarm. Nothing. There was no alert. It wasjust on fire. This is no good for 2017. A Hospital Porter from the nhs is missing. His three children range from 20 to just three yea rs children range from 20 to just three years old. There are so many unaccounted for. Chriss other relatives were lucky to escape. This afternoon he helped them take donated belongings to the hotel they will slip into night paid for by the local authority. His brother in law was damning. There was no shower water you get when theres a fire. There was no security. It is a health and safety hazard. Last night, how did you know there was a fire . What happened . |j night, how did you know there was a fire . What happened . Ijust smelt the plastic burning. I went to the kitchen to see if someone left the oven on. I saw flames just behind the windows. And i said that is wrong. Flames on the ninth floor . I open the window and all the smoke came in. I said this is serious. I went to my wife and said wake up, there is a fire. We woke up the children and straightaway left. They have lived in the block for 19 yea rs. Have lived in the block for 19 years. He spoke to missing relatives last night. We talked to him in the beginning. Isaid last night. We talked to him in the beginning. I said get out, get out. He said ok, beginning. I said get out, get out. He said 0k, 0k. Then he said i cannot. Someone said to stay because it is more safe than doling out. He ferried the homeless family off to get some sleep. On social media. But this evening, on his return, dreadful rumours started appearing on line. I looked on social media. It said rest in peace, blah, blah, blah. I said what does that mean . Have they seen the person themselves . It is a bit premature to send that message. I rang back and they said yeah. Unofficially, the whole family is dead. I will only know when i can look at a body. Otherwise i will not recognise anything. That is when i will start to mourn. The cause of the fire isnt yet known, but several People Living in the tower have said that one man claimed it started in his faulty fridge. A local Residents Group says it repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of the building, warning that only a Serious Loss Of Life would allow them to be taken seriously. Newsnights chris cook reports. 0h oh my god, they are screaming. How can we begin to understand the scale of the disaster beginning in the early hours of this morning . What went wrong and could it happen ain . Went wrong and could it happen again . First, it is worth noting buildings like these are made to contain fires. The idea is if a fire brea ks contain fires. The idea is if a fire breaks out, the fire brigade can combat it before it spreads. That is why they have a stay put policy. People are supposed to stay in their flats until the fire is dealt with. In this case, it seems the strategy in place has led to people being in the building as smoke and flames penetrated right the way through the property. The normal strategy there is, especially in a tall building, some people may be less able than others to be able to escape down staircases through 2a storeys. Stay put is a recognised strategy for people who cannot do that. The issue is that the fire did not stay contained. Is raced through the building. It. That system broke down. The Critical Question is why . The brighton candidate for allowing it to spread is cladding. Pirme. It was added recently. It was burning the entire exterior of the building, and much of it is destroyed. 0f building, and much of it is destroyed. Of course, the system we used widely in this country is an accepted system, aluminium panels. It is six millimetres thick. Typically it is made of two sheets of aluminium with a core in between. What that core is made of is critical. If we look at virus across the world, in china, for example, that are quite devastating, the core has been combustible. Fires. There was specific cladding used in kensington, it is called raybond. There are two types. One which is flammable and one not flammable. It seems they used the Flammable One. There have been questions about that Flammable One often. Or example, this one in dubai used it. Watch this one in dubai used it. Watch this fire from france in 2012. It sta rts this fire from france in 2012. It starts small and jumps up floors via the outside of the building, and within minutes, it is racing up the exterior. The contractors that fitted the cladding in 2016 said it met required standards. All cladding is supposed to be limited combustibility. It has been an open questions in the smaller disaster in 2009. Six people died in a fire. Since then, not much has happened. That led to a very detailed inquest and report. And part of that is that they said there should be a review partly of the regulations which govern high rise buildings. Those are fire regulations. That has not yet been done. The Housing Minister this year said it would be. But we are still waiting for that. It was only in march this year that people we re only in march this year that people were Warning Lights would be at risk if it was not. Lives. There are Big Questions to answer. We really need answers to make sure that other places do not suffer as kensington has. Earlier the bbc spoke to robert black, the Chief Executive of Kensington Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, to find out what he knew about the fire it is hard for me to comment about anything before the investigation. If you listen to the police and the fire brigade they say the exact same thing were still trying to find homes for people to go to tonight, we are still trying to find everybody. I can understand that people raise these questions but we are trying, on the ground, to support and address these things. That is my key focus. Everything else we will address in the investigation. These stapled instruction, do you believe that was to blame for loss of life . Instruction, do you believe that was to blame for loss of life . |j instruction, do you believe that was to blame for loss of life . I can not a nswer to blame for loss of life . I can not answer that because i do not understand where or how life has been lost. It is a difficult one for me to say. What im saying is that across london and other places we have a stapled policy because that is what we have been told to work with. There have been discussions about this tower blocks not being inspected for 18 months while the refurbishment took place. We things behind schedule, do you think . |j behind schedule, do you think . cannot mention specifics because, again, it needs to be looked into. It does not sound like anything i know. I know that some alarms had to be installed. Had that work been completed . Be installed. Had that work been completed . Any work be installed. Had that work been completed . Any work during the refurbishment was completed and signed off and that is the position that we are willing to show as we go through this enquiry. So the alarms are all hardwired . I cannot answer that at the moment because i do not know the detail, as you can imagine. Im trying to provide assurance and make sure people are safe tonight. You know how many people were in at the time . 140 flats, people come and go. One of the things we are trying to do is find out where all the people are. That is the Chief Executive of the matt Tenant Management Organisation. The prime minister, theresa may, has promised a full inquiry and told reporters that any lessons would be learned. I have received the latest update on this appalling tragedy. 12 people have been confirmed dead in this terrible fire that has taken place and, sadly, Police Expect that number to rise further. My thoughts are with the victims and their families and all of those who have had their homes destroyed. It is impossible to comprehend the horror of what they have gone through. The response of People Living nearby who have provided help, compassion and support has once again shown the fantastic spirit of london. Earlier today i ordered across Government Meeting to ensure that every assistance was being given to manage the Emergency Service response and that group will meet again tomorrow. Once again, our Emergency Services, fires, n hedges, police and ambulance have shown incredible Bravery Working in truly appalling conditions and their work will continue for some time. I know everybody will want to join me in thanking them for their service will stop many will be working around the clock to treat those injured and provide help and support to those who have no home to return to. Once the scene is secure and once the recovery is complete then an investigation will take place into the cause of the fire and if there are any lessons to be learned. Until then, our focus must are any lessons to be learned. Until then, ourfocus must be on are any lessons to be learned. Until then, our focus must be on ensuring then, our focus must be on ensuring the Emergency Services have what they need to continue with their harrowing work and that help and support is being provided to all those who have suffered as a result of this tragedy. At the meeting of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat was agreed that checks would be carried out on similar tower blocks. What would you say to those who suggest that this should have happened earlier and claims that the government last year that the government last year that the government promised to bring in tougher regulations and that is yet tougher regulations and that is yet to happen. Our focus today is on ensuring there is every support available to the Emergency Services in their difficult work in these terrible conditions but in also providing help and support to those who have been victims. We must remember that there are people tonight who have no home to go to. They have lost absolutely everything. Our focus they have lost absolutely everything. Ourfocus must be on providing support to them. Of course, as i say, in due course when it is seen as secure impossible to identify the cause of this fire then, of course, there will be a proper investigation and if there are proper investigation and if There A Re Lessons Proper Investigation and if there are lessons to be learned they will be and action will be taken. Within a few hours of the fire starting people were arriving at the shelters that have been set up here in churches, sports and community centres. They were carrying food, clothes, water, handing out masks to people in the street to protect them from the acrid smoke. Our correspondent Elaine Dunkley tells us more about the way the local Community Came together to help. This church hall, a refuge for those who have nothing and for those who want to give. Theyve been overwhelmed with donations. Today weve been out, weve bought a load of Phone Chargers and weve given people the Phone Chargers to help them call loved ones and to make sure theyre all safe and everyone knows where everybody is. Weve also donated some money, weve given some money to some families. Darren withdrew £1000 out of his account and weve been giving families £100 just to see them over the next couple of days. I mean, its amazing how everyone has come out in the community, and it just shows you how people will stick together in a time like this. And how caring people are, theyve been so caring. This hall is full of provisions, from shoes to toiletries. People are sharing their homes, others are offering their time. I see that london is still together and regardless of your background im from brazil and where you come from, everybody got together. It is an amazing feeling that i have. In 15 minutes, this hallway, as you see, it is absolutely full of clothes, baby stuff, food, water. It is amazing. On another corner, Just Moments Away from where people have lost their lives and others all their possessions, there are more supplies. Weve had bedding, headscarves, toiletries, everything you can think of that people might want. This at the front here is food. I have kids at the local primary and secondary, texts are coming in, new centres that are open, where else people can take donations. You know, i happen to be nearby, so. Ive got a seven year old and i was taking her to school this morning, and on that road where we walked to school, there was a very, very clear view of the tower and what was going on. The fire was sort of really going at that point early in the morning and she understands whats going on and so after school we came by here and she wanted to help load donations from this box into the van thats taking them on to the shelters where people are being looked after. This is an area where there is wealth, and those who have very little. People from all backgrounds trying to do their best. This community is very strong. Obviously its not about whos rich and whos poor, as you can see. You will see people with suits and people with tracksuits, you know, just helping around and doing what they can do the best. Theres also people here from different castes and different colours. A lot of youth is involved as well, from what i can see. You can see a lot of students running around here, picking up stuff. Yeah, we from the Sikh Community are trying our best, making sure theres water everywhere. Tonight, many of the centres are providing food and beds. But this is just the beginning for families who are now homeless. We will have more coming up stop first, lets have a look at the weather. The next 24 hours will bring us some cooler and fresher weather but will not last long the warmth will return for the weekend. We certainly pulled some warmth up from the south during wednesday. 27 degrees was our Top Temperature at heathrow. Thursday, however, will be a different day. The cold front pushing in from the west and behind that some fresh air will be introduced. Ahead of the front a warm and muggy start to thursday morning, particularly in our big town and city centres. 16,17,18 degrees. With sunshine, temperatures in Eastern England will rise quickly through the morning. Here is our weather front, our cold front. At this Stage Showery Rain and as that pushes through it will introduce that Fresh Airfrom the west. By 4pm, South West England will still enjoy sunshine but the temperature will have dropped off. Still some Warmth Clinging on across the south east and east anglia. 22, 23 degrees here and mainly fine afternoon across the midlands. We start to encounter showers as we push across england, quite a lot fresher there. Across scotland there will be cloudy periods, i suspect, with showery rain. Equally bright spells in between and breezy towards the north west. Similar stories in Northern Ireland with bright spells but large areas of cloud and showery rain. We return to wales where it is fine through the afternoon but the ten but the temperature only reaching as high as 17 or 18 degrees. With fresher feel in place, thursday night should be a little more comfortable for sleeping, i suspect. 11 there in aberdeen. Out in the countryside will be even a little cooler than that. Fresh start to friday that a bright start with sunshine. However there will be changes through the day. More cloud into Northern Ireland, scotland, parts of Northern England and north wales, patchy rain moving through as well. Also you will start to notice those temperatures creeping upwards again and that is what will take this into the weekend. This warm front bringing some patchy rain across Northern Areas but also introducing some warm air from the south. You will notice an area of High Pressure building in from the south as well. Across england and wales, saturday will not only be warm and sunny. 28 in london. Showery rain for Northern Ireland and western scotland. Breezy here as well. On sunday the rain is confined to the far north west. A lot of sunshine, humid air in place and the temperature could reach as high as 30 or 31 degrees. This is bbc world news. Im babita sharma. Our top story at least 12 people are known to have died after a huge fire swept through a west london tower block, but many people are still missing. Police are warning that the number of victims is likely to rise. You need to ring 999. Eyewitnesses say the flames engulfed the 24 storey building within 30 minutes, with people desperately trying to escape. It was so dark and so much smoke was there. There were people running down the stairs, some with luggage. So much confusion. Firefighters were repelled by the heat and falling debris as they